Largest Show in History for NPE2018: The Plastics Show

The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) today concluded NPE2018: The Plastics Show, the largest plastics show in North America that attracts plastics producers from around the world. This show has been the largest in history, with more than 2,180 exhibiting companies showcasing innovations in plastics in more than 1.2 million square feet of exhibit space on the tradeshow floor. But metrics aside, there were strategic additions to the show that made it feel bigger and better than ever.
As attendees walked the show halls lined with large TV screens, they saw interviews with people who make plastics safer, better and stronger on NPE Network. And if in the hustle and bustle attendees missed those videos, they can watch them all on the plane ride home. The Show Daily included recaps of the machines, product launches, expansion announcements and more that came out of the show each day. Those are also available to read digitally.
And there was a local component, too, engaging high school students who may not otherwise have considered a career in plastics. Today, more than 125 students from Orange County Public Schools came to NPE® to participate in the new student day program. Their day included a morning briefing with plastics industry executives followed by a tour of the NPE® trade show floor.
On and off the trade show floor, there were new programming additions to attract broader end-market attendees. New elements of this year’s show included 12 technology zones – five of which were new – and nine education programs, including the co-location of PLASTICS-produced Re|focus Sustainability & Recycling Summit and the Plastics Leadership Summit. The emphasis continued to be on producing a sustainable show with a goal of 100 percent waste diversion.
“We worked diligently to continue the tradition of innovation that NPE® is known for with features like our 80,000 square foot Bottle Zone and our expanded education programming,” said PLASTICS Vice President of Trade Shows and Marketing Susan Krys. “Over the past five days, we’ve been on the ground and hearing directly from the many members and attendees who we’ve worked with tirelessly to put on a show of this magnitude. Attendees have been really impressed with NPE® this year.”
The triennial trade show’s theme was “We’ve got it covered.” Attendees in Orlando, Fla. spent the week uncovering innovation, business intelligence and opportunity, gaining exclusive access to the people, processes, science and ideas that are shaping the future of plastics.

According to an authoritative report published in July 2018 by industry consultants, AMI Consulting, global demand for Polypropylene Compounds is rising strongly on the back of engineering developments in automotive and electrical appliances. The automotive industry is striving to reduce weight and

PEEK polymer pioneer Victrex is preparing newly developed materials for Additive Manufacturing (AM). The first of these is a high strength material for laser sintering (LS) which attains lower refresh rates, resulting in improved recycling for unsintered powder. The second is a filament with better